Excellent Collection; First-rate Arrangements

books:

	• Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit: 101 Best-Loved Psalms, Gospel Hymns & Spiritual Songs of the African-American ... Gwendolin Sims Warren Holt Paperbacks, 1999 - 384 pages average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Excellent History and Good Compositions

This book covers a wide array of African-American spiritual songs across a variety of genres. It starts with spirituals from the slavery period and interprets the literal and hidden messages in these moving songs. It then moves succesively onto sacred compositions by such luminaries as Thomas Dorsey and interpretations of standard hymns. It ends with a review of modern sacred songs with impressive scores from writers like Andrae Crouche, Kirk Franklin, etc. I am enjoying it immensely!

Wonderful

This is a splendid book, written in an personal, informed, deeply intelligent and moving way by a wonderful woman. It is a perfect resource for those who want to know the history and inspiration of the songs it contains, which are, by themselves, inspired and inspiring.

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Excellent Collection; First-rate Arrangements

In this collection, Ms. Warren presents straightforward and faithful arrangements of 101 psalms, gospel hymns, and spirituals. She relates brief histories of the songs and places them in the context of her Christian faith and experience.

Generously, Ms. Warren includes a couple of dozen Euro-American hymns and presents them in a similar context. Undoubtedly, these hymns stand in relation to and have even influenced some twentieth century black composers.

But it is the presentation of the songs from the Afican-American tradition that is most important here. The Euro-American hymns aside, this is a marvellous introduction to black American spirituals and hymnody.

I agree with another reviewer that this is a wonderful work to browse at random, but it is also rewarding to sit down and read it through. As you please.

Either way, when you come to the end of the book, if you've got a soul it will thirst for more...

I hope you'll be able to satisfy some of that thirst by hearing some of this music sung live by a choir and congregation that knows its business. Even if you're not a Christian, you may still find it rewarding to experience this aspect of Christianity first-hand.

After all, you've already heard this music many times before. It is the cornerstone for American blues, jazz, soul, and rock 'n' roll. It began in Africa, survived the Middle Passage, grew up fast in hard times in the American South, and lived to tell the tale. It's been around the world and back a million times.

And, speaking on behalf of the planet, the world can't wait to see where this music takes us next.

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Ephesians 5:19 Comes to Life

In Ephesians 5:19, the Apostle Paul urges Christians to "speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in our heart to the Lord." Author Gwendolin Sims Warren follows this comprehensive arrangement in "Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit."

For Christians growing up in Church over the past half century, she answers the question, "I wonder about the history of the composition of this song . . ." Warren's contextualizing of these favorites provides an emotionally and spiritually moving interpretation and celebration of these songs that deepens their impact on the hearers.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, and Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction.

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More Devotional than Academic...

This is a good book for the worshipper who wants devotions or to know the back story behind their favorite hymns. And the author's piano/vocal arrangements are for the most part playable and error-free.

That being said, this is a selective not a comprehensive collection of Gospel Music. I found myself wondering "is this song in here?" looking and being disappointed that it was not included. Especially the older Spirituals (out-of-copyright). There should have been more of these, instead of the traditional Hymn section, which is duplicated in many Hymnals. If the Hymns had to be kept, it would have been instructive to see the original and the "gospelfied" versions in print, side-by-side. That and the lack of footnotes and skimpy historical info (definitely more on the appropiation of Spirituals in the Civil-Rights era and the controversy concerning Dorsey's Blues-Gospel style in the 1930's-40's) make this book more for the casual reader than a resource for the serious student of the genre.

The newer Gospel and Contemporary songs are a nice touch, although I wondered at putting the copyright and publisher information in the back of the book.

Also a spiral binding would be good for those who wish to play the music...

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reviews: page 1, 2

For over 200 years in African-American churches throughout the country, gospel and spiritual music have offered solace and been a source of celebration, leaving a mark not only on the Christian world, but on popular music as well. Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit contains the lyrics and music of 101 of the most widely known and cherished of these pieces, ranging from heartring spirituals sung during slave times (Steal Away; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot) to songs of unity from the civil rights movement and contemporary times (We Shall Overcome, I'll Fly Away). The book also presents a biography of each composer and the history of the evolution of each song, examining the role it played in enabling African-Americans to develop the strength to carry on in the face of adversity. An important historical document as well as an inspirational gift, the book captures the rich connections between song and experience as no other volume does.

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